Sedation & Pain Management

With current pain management and sedation techniques, you can be mentally and physically comfortable during and after all types of surgery, which we feel is a necessity. If we anticipate pain during a procedure, no matter how brief, we like to use a local anesthetic. In general, the longer you are numb after a procedure the more comfortable you will be when the anesthetic wears off. We consider an acceptable level of pain on a scale of 1-10 to be less than a 3.  We will contact you some time after surgery to confirm that you are doing well. We understand that you are the only one that knows what you feel, so we listen to what you say not what we think you should be feeling.  Then we take the appropriate actions to ensure that you are comfortable. Pain after surgery is not desirable, normal or useful. Bleeding, pain and swelling after surgery should not be expected or tolerated.

Pain management regimes are tailored to your needs, but all patients are treated with the philosophy of stopping pain before it starts.   We determine what will work best for you prior to surgery.  If you are having pain, we encourage you to call. We can be reached at the office during the day or by pager after hours.

We are certified and experienced in the use of several forms of sedation, including intravenous sedation. Sedation is very effective for relieving a sense of fear about treatment.  If you fear seeing the dentist, we can discuss how to relieve that fear at the initial consultation.  It is important that you are physically and mentally comfortable during and after treatment.   Sedation is not required for most surgeries, however we strongly recommend it for some. To determine if you will benefit from sedation, we describe the procedure in detail and discuss your past experiences with dental treatment.